The new attacks came despite a curfew, a state of emergency and heavy deployment of security forces.

Buddhist mobs are still sweeping through Muslim neighbourhoods in Sri Lanka’s central hills, destroying stores and restaurants despite a curfew, a state of emergency and heavy deployment of security forces, residents have said.

Buddhist mobs are still sweeping through Muslim neighbourhoods in Sri Lanka’s central hills, destroying stores and restaurants despite a curfew, a state of emergency and heavy deployment of security forces, residents have said.

Mohamed Ramzeen, who owns a small restaurant outside the central town of Kandy, said about 50 people broke into his restaurant during the curfew on Wednesday night, destroying nearly everything they found.

Others in the area have described similar attacks.

Sri Lanka Violence

The streets of most towns were empty on Thursday, except for police and soldiers.

Sri Lanka’s bitter ethnic divide, which fuelled a long and bloody civil war, has shifted to a religious divide in recent years, with the rise of hard-line Buddhist groups that stoke anger against minority Muslims.